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SYNOPSIS 

o/  an  Address  to  the 

IRISH  FELLOWSHIP  CLUB 
March  2nd,  1912 

By 

MR.  JOHN  ERICSON 

Chairman  of  the 

Harbor  and  Subway  Commission 
Chicago 


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MUNICIPAL 

REFERENCE 

LIBRARY 


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TRANSPORTATION  OF  TO-DAY. 

Chicago  has  an  extensive  system  of  surface  lines,  and 
also  of  elevated  roads. 

The  surface  lines,  under  present  conditions,  have  to 
serve  a  dual  purpose,  i.  e.,  to  provide  local  traffic  in  all  parts 
of  the  city,  and  to  serve  as  substitutes  for  long  distance 
transit  as  well.  For  long  hauls  in  a  populous  city,  where 
operated  on  streets  in  built  up  parts,  the  surface  lines  cannot 
now,  and  never  will,  give  rapid  transit,  such  as  modern  condi- 
tions call  for.  Notwithstanding  our  present  unsatisfactory 
rapid  transit  service  on  the  elevated  roads,  from  50  to  70  per 
cent  longer  time  is  required  to  reach  the  border  of  the  con- 
gested district  from  outlying  sections,  even  by  modern 
surface  cars,  operated  on  reconstructed  smooth  tracks,  than 
on  the  elevated  trains. 

SURFACE  LINES  AS  FEEDERS. 

The  functions  of  the  surface  lines  are  local  traffic,  and  to 
serve  as  feeders  for  the  rapid  transit  lines. 

Our  elevated  road  systems,  under  present  conditions, 
cannot  develop  either  their  full  speed  or  their  carrying  capac- 
ity. 

To  illustrate:  Local  transportation  in  a  city  may  be 
compared  with  the  blood  circulation  in  an  animal  body.  If 
the  blood  circulation  is  affected,  or  faulty,  through  congestion 
or  otherwise,  the  body  immediately  suffers.  Vitality  is  im- 
paired, and,  if  relief  is  not  obtained,  conditions  get  worse  and 
general  decline  is  sure  to  follow. 

If  the  heart  is  affected,  the  entire  circulation  is  impaired, 
and  the  whole  body  suffers.  If  circulation  to  any  particular 
member  is  affected,  this  member  suffers. 

So  with  transportation  circulation  in  a  city.  If  this  cir- 
culation is  healthy,  and  unobstructed,  the  community  grows 
and  prospers ;  if  transportation  facilities  are  inadequate  and 


congested,  and  circulation  sluggish,  the  community  suffers  a 
commercial  setback;  its  growth  and  prosperity  are  impeded. 

UNION  LOOP* CONGESTION. 

The  heart  regulating  the.  traffic circulation  of  our  ele- 
vated roads  is  the  Union  Loop.  On  this  two-track  loop 
structure,  with  its  many  grade  crossings,  stations  and  curves, 
nearly  all  the  trains  of  all  the  roads  enter.  During  rush 
hours  there  is  a  great  congestion.  The  movement  of  trains 
is  slow  and  irregular.  The  capacity  of  the  various  roads, 
therefore,  is  greatly  reduced.  This  necessitates  the  operation 
of  great  numbers  of  surface  cars  into  the  central  district  to 
accommodate  the  traffic,  that  cannot  be  handled  on  the  ele- 
vated roads. 

This  again  causes  congestion  of  surface  traffic  in  the 
Loop  district,  especially  during  rush  hours. 

NEW  YORK'S  SUBWAYS. 

New  York,  with  its  extensive  systems  of  surface  and 
elevated  lines,  some  years  ago  found  it  necessary  to  increase 
the  transportation  facilities  by  constructing  an  extensive 
system  of  subways.  In  the  latter  alone  there  are  now  trans- 
ported nearly  one  million  persons  per  day.  These  subways 
have  served  the  purpose  so  well  that,  in  order  to  meet  further 
transportation  demands,  still  larger  systems  are  now  under 
construction,  and  in  contemplation,  involving  an  expenditure 
of  several  hundred  millions  of  dollars. 

Traffic  in  the  New  York  subways  has  increased  280.5  per 
cent  since  1905,  when  they  were  first  put  into  service,  or  from 
72,722,000  rides  in  1905  to  276,705,000  in  1911. 

AVERAGE  SPEED  IN  SUBWAYS. 

The  speed  obtained  in  the  New  York  subways,  from 
Ninety-sixth  street  to  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  including  all 
stops,  is  between  25  and  26  miles  an  hour,  and  this  can  be  in- 
creased when  conditions  at  the  Grand  Central  Station,  which 
is  the  governing  point,  shall  have  been  improved. 

In  Chicago  we  obtain  an  average  speed,  on  the  South 
Side  Elevated  Railroad,  from  Forty-third  to  Congress  street, 
including  stops,  of  about  17  miles  per  hour,  and  on  the  North- 
western Elevated,  from  Wilson  avenue  to  Lake  street,  of 
about  18  miles  per  hour,  or  less  than  75  per  cent,  of  the 
speed  obtained  in  New  York. 


YEARLY  RIDES   PER  CAPITA. 

Government  statistics  show  that  the  average  number  of 
rides  that  a  person  takes  each  year  on  urban  transportation 
lines  increases  with  the  city's  growth.  In  a  city  with  a  popu- 
lation of  25,000  or  less  the  average  number  of  rides  per  year 
by  each  person  is  68.  In  cities  with  from  25,000  to  100,000 
inhabitants  the  average  number  of  rides  per  year  by  each 
person  is  108. 

In  cities  of  from  100,000  to  300,000  the  average  number 
of  rides  per  capita  is  185. 

In  cities  of  500,000  inhabitants  and  somewhat  over,  the 
average  number  of  rides  per  year,  by  each  person,  is  239. 

In  New  York  the  situation  is  actually  as  follows : 
Year.  Population.  Rides  per  Capita. 

1903  3,775,123  265.0 

1905  4,000.403  282.7* 

1907  4,306,995  305.4 

1910  4,766,883  320.9 

Chicago  in  1880  had  a  population  of  about     500,000 
"   1890     "    "  "  "       "     1,100,000 

"   1900     "    "  "  "       "     1,700,000 

"   1910     "    "  "  li       "     2,200,000 

If  we  assume  that  the  increase  in  the  future  will  be  at 
the  same  rate,  we  can  expect  in  1920  a  population  of  2,800,000 
and  in  1930  a  population  of  3,500,000. 

The  number  of  rides  per  capita  on  local  transportation 
lines  of  the  City  of  Chicago,  according  to  available  statis- 
tics, has  been  as  follows : 

Year.  Population.  Rides  per  Capita. 

1900  1,700,000                               200 

1905  1,940,000                               229 

1910  2,200,000                               300 

In  this  is  not  included  suburban  traffic  on  steam  or  elec- 
tric roads,  which  is  at  the  rate  of  about  20  rides  per  capita. 

EXPANSION  OF  FACILITIES  NEEDED. 

That  immediate  transportation  betterments  are  required 
in  Chicago  must  be  apparent  to  all  who  have  to  avail  them- 
selves of  the  local  facilities  we  now  have. 

The  City's  prospective  growth  in  population,  and  with  it 

*First  year  of  Subway. 


the  tendency  to  an  increase  in  the  number  of  rides  per  capita, 
calls  for  further  planning  in  order  to  prevent  a  stunting  of 
this  growth. 

TEMPOEAEY  BELIEF  MEASURES. 

The  following  means  for  immediate  relief  may  be  con- 
sidered : 
First.     Consolidation  of  all  local  transportation  systems. 

If  all  local  transportation  facilities  were  under  one  man- 
agement, the  service  would  be  better  and  more  economical. 
This  also  implies  transfers  from  any  one  part  of  the  city  to 
any  other  part. 

Second.     Increase  in  the  capacity  of  the  present  system  of 

elevated  roads,  pending  the  construction  of  subways. 

This  would  involve  the  following  changes  in  Union  Loop 
service : 

First — Through  routing  of  trains. 

Second — Relocation  of  stations  and  changes  in  platforms. 

Third — Grade  separation. 

Each  of  these  steps  would  to  some  extent  increase 
capacity  and  relieve  congestion,  of  the  elevated  roads.  It 
has  been  estimated  that  these  three  steps  combined  would  in- 
crease the  capacity  from  50  to  130  per  cent.  An  average  of 
these  two  extremes  is  what  might  be  expected. 

Even  if  the  people  of  Chicago  should  consent  to  a  con- 
tinuance of  this  ugly  and  noisy  elevated  structure,  in  the 
downtown  district,  and  should  permit  these  alterations,  such 
permission  should  be  withheld  until  the  legality  of  the  loop 
franchise  has  been  settled,  or  until  a  proposed  new  consolida- 
tion ordinance,  embracing  the  use  by  elevated  roads  of  munic- 
ipal subways,  has  been  passed  and  ratified. 

Some  changes  in  the  operation  and  routing  of  surface 
cars,  now  being  considered  by  the  Local  Transportation  Com- 
mittee, would  also  partially  relieve  the  situation.  Without 
subways,  however,  only  temporary  relief  is  possible.  The 
same  situation,  that  of  inadequate  transportation  facilities, 
would  again  follow  those  measures  of  temporary  relief. 

RAPID  TRANSIT  SUBWAYS. 

Subways  have  solved  the  transportation  problem  in 
other  large  cities.  They  are  believed  to  be  the  solution  of  this 
problem  in  Chicago. 

With  an  extensive  system  of  elevated  roads,  incapable  of 
developing  more  than  a  fraction  of  its  capacity,  the  first  logi- 


cal  step  is  to  increase  this  capacity  to  a  maximum.  This  can 
be  done  by  passenger  subways  through  the  congested  Loop 
district. 

The  financial  limitation  imposed  on  the  Harbor  and  Sub- 
way Commission,  namely  an  expenditure  for  subways  not  to 
exceed  ten  or  twelve  million  dollars,  from  the  so-called  "  trac- 
tion fund,''  and  its  increment,  during  three  or  four  years  of 
subway  construction,  made  it  necessary  for  us  to  confine  our 
efforts  to  such  a  comparatively  small  system.  Preliminary 
plans  for  such  a  system  of  Subways  were  submitted  to  the 
City  Council  Committee  on  Local  Transportation  on  October 
31,  1911. 

One  system  of  Subways  was  designed  to  relieve  the  con- 
gestion on  the  Union  Loop,  and  increase  the  capacity  of  the 
elevated  roads. 

A  system  to  relieve  surface  car  congestion  in  the  Loop 
district  was  also  outlined. 

Considering  first  the  subways  for  use  by  the  consolidated 
elevated  roads,  the  proposed  routes  are  as  follows : 

NOETH-SOUTHWEST  ROUTE. 

This  route  connects  the  Northwestern  Elevated  Railway 
with  the  Metropolitan  West  Side  Elevated  Railway  by  a 
double  track  subway  from  Wells  and  Kinzie  streets  to  Halsted 
and  Pearce  streets.  By  incline,  open  approach  and  subway, 
the  tracks,  from  Wells  street,  are  carried  east  in  North  Water 
street  to  a  river  tunnel  at  State  street;  ascending  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river  in  State  street  they  pass  under  the  subway 
of  the  South-Northwest  Route  at  Randolph  street.  South  of 
Randolph  street  they  rise  to  the  high  level,  holding  this  level 
south  in  State  street  to  Harrison  street  and  west  in  Harrison 
street  to  La  Salle  street,  where  they  descend  to  a  river  tunnel 
at  Harrison  street.  West  of  the  river  they  rise  to  a  portal  at 
Harrison  and  Desplaines  streets,  thence  by  open  approach  and 
incline  on  private  right  of  way  to  a  connection  with  the 
Metropolitan  West  Side  Elevated  Railway,  Halsted  and 
Pearce  streets. 

SOUTH-NORTHWEST  ROUTE. 

This  route  connects  the  South  Side  Elevated  Railway 
with  the  Oak  Park  Elevated  Railway  by  a  double-track  sub- 
way from  private  right  of  way  between  State  street  and 
Wabash  avenue  near  Fourteenth  street  to  Green  and  Lake 
streets.    By  incline  and  open  approach  the  tracks  are  carried 


north  from  Fourteenth  street,  on  private  right  of  way,  to  a 
subway  portal  on  the  north  side  of  Twelfth  street,  northwest 
across  Twelfth  street  to  State  street,  thence  north  in  State 
street  to  Eandolph  street,  west  in  Randolph  street  to  La 
Salle  street,  where  they  descend  to  a  river  tunnel  at  Eandolph 
street.  West  of  the  river  they  rise  to  Desplaines  street, 
thence,  by  open  approach  and  inclines  and  elevated  structure, 
they  are  carried  across  Halsted  street  and  north  in  Green 
street  to  a  connection  with  the  Oak  Park  Elevated  Railway. 

APPROACHES  AND  STATIONS. 

The  approaches  connecting  subways  and  the  elevated 
structures  as  shown  may  be  changed  to  meet  conditions  with- 
out any  serious  interference  with  the  general  scheme. 

Stations  have  been  laid  out  for  estimating  purposes,  but 
are  not  shown  on  the  plans. 

Transfer  stations  can  be  located  along  State  street.  Sta- 
tions of  sufficient  capacity  to  take  care  of  all  other  traffic  can 
be  located  at  other  places  along  the  proposed  routes. 

THROUGH-ROUTE  EXPRESS  SERVICE. 

With  this  system  built,  the  express  trains  of  the  Metro- 
politan Elevated  Railway  can  enter  the  subway  and  continue 
on  the  express  tracks  of  the  Northwestern.  The  Oak  Park 
Elevated  Railroad,  which  should  receive  on  its  tracks  the 
Humboldt  Park  and  Logan  Square  branches  of  the  Metropol- 
itan, can  send  its  express  trains  in  the  Northwest-South 
branch  of  the  subway  and  continue  on  the  express  tracks  of 
the  South  Side  Elevated  road. 

In  this  manner,  the  four  great  divisions  of  the  city  would 
be  connected  by  arteries  of  rapid  transportation,  traversing 
same  and  passing  through  the  central  district.  Such  divisions 
as  cannot  be  conveniently  and  economically  connected  by 
crosstown  or  other  routes  would  be  provided  with  through 
route  service.  Since  from  70  to  80  per  cent,  of  passengers 
using  the  elevated  roads  make  the  central  district  their  des- 
tination, the  routes  must  necessarily  pass  through  the  same  in 
order  that  these  passengers  may  be  accommodated  and  the 
undertaking  made  a  paying  proposition. 

LOCAL  TRAFFIC.      -. 

There  are  still  the  local  trains  to  consider.  Of  course,  if 
the  elevated  Loop  remains  the  local  trains  could  use  the  Loop 


as  before.  To  remove  the  Loop,  and  yet  develop  full  capacity 
of  the  local  tracks,  the  Commission  suggests  that,  for  in- 
stance, the  tracks  of  the  Oak  Park  Line,  in  Fifth  avenue,  be 
connected  with  the  tracks  of  the  stub-terminal  in  Market 
street,  forming  a  minor  loop,  in  which  case  the  full  capacity  of 
these  local  tracks  can  be  developed.  The  same  can  be  done 
with  the  local  trains  of  the  Metropolitan  road.  There  would 
be  required  a  short  connection  between  the  main  tracks  and 
the  stub-terminal  in  Franklin  street  permitting  the  trains, 
coming  in  on  Van  Buren  street,  to  go  to  the  present  stub- 
terminal  in  Franklin  street  and  return  by  means  of  the  loop 
thus  formed.  By  making  a  short  connection  in  Congress 
street,  the  South  Side  Elevated  Eoad  locals  would  be  taken 
care  of.  A  track  in  Clark  street  connecting  the  Fifth  avenue 
line  with  the  stub-terminal  on  North  Water  street  would  de- 
velop full  capacity  of  the  Northwestern  local  tracks.  These 
arrangements,  of  course,  would  involve  the  construction  of 
some  additional  tracks  for  local  trains,  so  that  local  traffic 
would  not  interfere  with  traffic  on  the  express  tracks. 

ESTIMATED  CAPACITIES. 

The  combined  capacities  of  all  the  elevated  roads,  with 
present  facilities,  during  rush  hours,  in  cars  entering  or  leav- 
ing the  central  district  are:  "Loop"  622  cars,  and  stub-ter- 
minals 293  cars  per  hour.  This  makes  a  total  capacity  of  915 
cars  per  hour,  entering  or  leaving  the  central  district. 

With  express  trains  of  the  various  elevated  roads  routed 
through  the  subways,  instead  of  on  the  Union  Loop,  the  capac- 
ity of  these  elevated  roads  would  be  increased  to  1,600  cars  per 
hour  on  express  tracks,  and  to  1,600  cars  per  hour  on  local 
tracks,  rearranged  to  form  small  loops  as  described,  or  to  a 
total  of  3,200  cars  per  hour  as  against  the  present  915,  an  in- 
crease of  250  per  cent. 

UNION  LOOP  UNNECESSARY. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  the  Fifth  avenue  and  the  Van 
Buren  street  legs  of  the  Union  Loop  be  retained  for  use  of 
local  trains.  This  arrangement  would  have  some  advantages 
and  some  disadvantages.  It  would  permit  through  routing  of 
local  trains  from  one  to  any  other  division  of  the  city  on  the 
elevated  structures.  On  the  other  hand,  if  universal  through 
routing  of  trains  from  the  several  branches  of  one  road  to 
each  branch  of  the  other  elevated  roads,  by  means  of  these 

9 


two  tracks  or  legs,  would  be  desired,  the  multiplicity  of  cars, 
representing  the  different  lines,  would  cause  exasperating  de- 
lays and  confusion  at  the  stations.  By  through  routing  only 
trunk  line  trains,  from  one  division  to  any  other,  and  by  re- 
taining shuttle  trains  and  transfers,  there  would  be  less  ob- 
jectionable operation  under  this  arrangement. 

It  is  not  necessary  .to  retain  any  part  of  the  Union  Loop. 
A  greater  capacity  of  this  system  can  be  obtained  without  it. 

ESTIMATED  COST  OF  SUBWAYS. 

The  estimated  cost  of  this  system  of  subways  for  elevated 
trains,  including  subways,  paving,  stations  complete,  three 
two-track  river  tunnels,  protection  to  buildings,  sewers  and 
water  systems,  engineering  and  contingencies,  but  exclusive 
of  trackage  and  electrical  installation,  is  $9,812,000.  Consid- 
ering, however,  the  necessary  changes  and  additions  to  the 
elevated  structures,  suitable  rolling  stock  for  subway  service, 
additional  electrical  equipment,  etc.,  an  estimated  expenditure 
by  the  operating  company  of  some  $35,000,000,  in  addition  to 
the  cost  of  subways,  would  be  required. 

RAPID  TRANSIT  NECESSARY. 

Chicago,  to  become  a  real  metropolis,  needs  up-to-date 
transit  facilities  giving  not  only  required  capacity  for  both 
the  present  and  the  future,  but  the  greatest  speed  consistent 
with  safety  that  science  will  permit. 

The  factors  in  real  rapid  transit  are : 

1 — High  speed  and  comfort. 

2 — Close  headway. 

3 — Reliability  and  regularity  of  service. 

4 — Uniform  schedules. 

5 — Proper  distribution  of  stations. 

Persons  living  10  or  12  miles,  or  even  further,  away  from 
the  city's  center  should  be  able  to  reach  their  places  of  busi- 
ness there  in  the  morning  and  return  in  the  evening,  without 
spending  more  than  iy2  hours  per  day  in  traveling  both  ways, 
even  when  located  some  distance  from  the  rapid  transit  line. 

INDEPENDENT  SUBWAY  SYSTEM. 

Irrespective  of  present  facilities  for  transportation,  even 
after  being  improved  to  maximum  possible  capacity,  and  not- 
withstanding that  the  present  financial  limitation  does  not 

10 


permit  it,  Chicago,  in  the  near  future,  will  need  an  extensive 
and  modern  rapid  transit  system,  that  will  traverse  and  inter- 
connect the  various  sections  of  the  city. 

Elevated  roads,  while  less  expensive  in  first  cost,  are  ob- 
jectionable, especially  in  well-built-up  districts.  They  are 
noisy  and  unsightly.  They  obstruct  light  and  interfere  with 
free  use  of  the  street.  At  certain  seasons  weather  conditions 
interfere  with  regularity  of  service.  Additional,  modern  rapid 
transit  facilities  for  this  city,  therefore,  should  consist  of  sub- 
ways. 

On  February  21  plans  were  presented,  by  the  Harbor 
and  Subway  Commission,  to  the  Local  Transportation  Com- 
mittee outlining  such  a  system,  reaching  out  through  the 
various  city  divisions,  on  the  north  to  Lawrence  avenue,  on 
the  south  to  Sixty-third  street,  on  the  southwest  and  on  the 
northwest  to  Fortieth  avenue. 

PLANS  FOR  CITY'S  SUBWAYS. 

These  plans  contemplate  four-track  subways  (two  tracks 
for  express  service  and  two  tracks  for  local  service).  When 
approaching  the  congested  district,  the  express  and  local 
service  trains  would  be  diverted  to  separate  subways  to  meet 
physical  and  operating  conditions. 

Such  parts  of  the  proposed  independent  subways  as  are 
located  in  the  congested  district,  and  intended  for  express 
service,  are  exactly  the  same  as  the  proposed  routes  for  initial 
subways,  to  be  used  in  connection  with  the  present  elevated 
roads. 

The  estimated  combined  capacity  of  this  independent 
subway  system  is  160,000  seats  per  hour.  The  estimated 
cost  of  these  subways,  including  stations,  is  $57,400,000. 

The  necessary  trackage,  electrical  equipment,  rolling 
stock,  etc.,  to  furnish  a  complete  system,  ready  for  operation, 
will  require  an  additional  expenditure  by  the  operating  com- 
pany of  some  $45,600,000. 

INITIAL  SUBWAYS  FIT  EITHER  PLAN. 

The  purpose  of  presenting  this  latest  plan  at  this  time  is 
twofold. 

First.  To  show  that  initial  subways  through  the  congested 
district,  as  suggested,  will  form  a  link,  not  only  in  an  in- 
dependent subway  system,  but  will  fit  into  a  subway  system 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  present  elevated  roads.  There- 

li 


fore,  whether  satisfactory  arrangements  with  present  trans- 
portation companies  to  use  such  subways  are  made  or  not, 
the  necessity  for  immediate  consideration  of  initial  subways 
still  remains.  Should  these  initial  subways  be  constructed, 
and  utilized  by  the  elevated  roads,  additional  future  subways 
could  be  built  through,  and  adjacent  to,  the  congested 
district. 

Second.  To  furnish  some  idea  as  to  the  comparative  capi- 
talization of  an  independent  subway  system  and  a  system  of 
combined  elevated  roads  and  subways  as  outlined. 

On  account  of  the  large  expense  for  modern  subway 
rolling  stock,  additional  electrical  equipment,  additional 
trackage,  etc.,  in  addition  to  the  cost  of  subway  construction, 
that  would  be  required  to  bring  the  present  elevated  road  sys- 
tem to  a  capacity  equivalent  to  the  capacity  of  the  proposed 
independent  subway  system,  it  is  my  belief  that  the  latter, 
with  an  equal  number  of  miles  of  single  track,  would  not 
represent  any  larger  capital  investment  than!  that  of  the 
former. 

CHICAGO  AND  NEW  YORK. 

The  question  is  this,  however: 

When  will  the  traffic  in  Chicago  warrant  such  large  ex- 
penditures for  a  transportation  system  in  addition  to  our 
present  facilities? 

The  same  question  was  raised  in  New  York  when  sub- 
ways were  under  consideration  there. 

NEW  YORK  TRAFFIC  STATISTICS. 

Now  York's  statistics  show  that,  irrespective  of  the  great 
additional  means  of  transportation  provided  by  subways, 
traffic  on  the  elevated  roads  has  increased  from  266,382,000 
in  1905,  when  trains  through  subways  were  first  operated,  to 
about  300,000,000  in  1911.  Traffic  on  the  surface  lines  has 
increased  from  374,554,000  in  1905  to  427,000,000  in  1911  in 
the  borough  of  Manhattan,  and  from  37,125,000  in  1905  to 
84,000,000  in  1911  in  the  borough  of  Bronx— the  two 
boroughs  through  which  the  subway  trains  operate.  In  those 
years  traffic  in  the  subways  also  increased  280.5  per  cent,  as 
before  shown. 

FACILITIES  CREATE  TRAFFIC. 

These  increases  would  undoubtedly  have  been  still  greater 
if  more  capacity  could  have  been  provided. 

12 


If  this  is  the  case  in  New  York,  why  would  it  not  be  so  in 
Chicago  ? 

Either  we  will  have  to  admit  this  or  quit  boasting  that 
our  city  before  very  long  will  be  the  greatest  in  the  country. 

If  New  York,  with  a  debt  of  over  one  thousand  millions  of 
dollars,  can  find  a  way  to  adequately  meet  requirements  for 
modern  transportation,  why  cannot  Chicago,  with  a  debt  of 
only  about  fifty  millions,  do  so? 

SURFACE  CAR  SUBWAYS. 

The  Harbor  and  Subway  Commission  has  also  outlined 
tentative  possible  routes  for  surface  car  subways,  through 
the  congested  district. 

.  Like  the  proposed  subways  for  rapid  transit,  these  sur- 
face car  subways  are  also  projected  so  that  cars  from  the 
Northwest  Division  would  be  routed  to  the  South  Division 
through  the  congested  district,  from  the  Southwest  Division 
to  the  North  Division,  and  vice  versa.  The  river  tunnels  at 
Washington  and  La  Salle  streets  would  be  used  in  connection 
with  these  subways.  A  city  ordinance  provides  that  these 
tunnels  shall  become  the  city's  property  upon  payment  to 
the  Chicago  Railways  Company,  by  the  city,  of  actual  cost, 
plus  5  per  cent.  If  arrangements  were  made  with  said  com- 
pany for  use  of  the  Van  Buren  Street  tunnel,  the  surface  car 
subway  could  connect  therewith.  Otherwise  a  new  river  tun- 
nel, on  the  line  of  Jackson  boulevard,  would  be  necessary. 

The  estimated  cost  of  this  surface  car  subway  system,  in- 
cluding stations  and  three  river  tunnels,  but  exclusive  of 
equipment,  is  $9,328,000. 

SURFACE  CAR  CAPACITIES. 

The  capacity  of  the  present  surface  track  system  in  the 
downtown  district,  according  to  transportation  experts  and 
officials,  is  1,037  cars  per  hour,  entering  or  leaving  this  dis- 
trict. It  is  estimated  that  by  rearrangement  of  loops  and  by 
some  other  traffic  regulation  this  capacity  can  be  increased  to 
1,300  cars  per  hour. 

The  surface  car  subways  here  outlined  are  estimated  to 
furnish  capacity,  for  the  movement  of  cars  through  the  same, 
of  720  per  hour  as  a  maximum.  This  would  increase  the  total 
capacity  of  surface  car  service,  over  and  above  the  capacity 
that  can  be  obtained  without  subways,  by  only  55  per  cent. 

As  the  proper  function  of  surface  car  systems  is  to  trans- 
port people  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  their  homes  to 

13 


the  nearest  rapid  transit  station,  and  to  accommodate  local 
traffic  in  all  parts  of  the  city,  the  necessity  for  running  great 
numbers  of  surface  cars,  from  all  outlying  districts,  into  the 
congested  -central  district  would  cease,  if  the  city  were  pro- 
vided with  adequate  rapid  transit  facilities. 

Since  numerous  cars  from  nearly  all  city  districts  now 
enter  the  congested  district,  the  number  of  districts  that  would 
be  served  by  such  proposed  surface  car  subways  would  either 
be  very  limited,  owing  to  meager  capacity,  or  else  only  a  few 
cars  from  each  district  could  be  routed  through  the  subway. 
Either  plan  would  cause  much  delay  and  confusion  at  subway 
stations. 

MORE  VALUE  IN  RAPID  TRANSIT  SUBWAYS. 

The  wisdom  of  expending  nearly  as  large  a  sum  of  money 
for  surface  car  subways  as  is  required  to  build  subways  for 
use  of  the  elevated  roads,  may  well  be  questioned.  Such  a 
sum  might  be  expended  to  better  advantage  for  real  rapid 
transit. 

Surface  car  subways  are  nowadays  constructed  in  ex- 
ceptional cases  only.  No  surface  car  subways  have  been  con- 
structed in  New  York,  nor  are  there  any  contemplated. 

Boston,  the  pioneer  American  city  in  subway  construc- 
tion, had  a  special  problem  to  deal  with.  There  were  no  ob- 
structions to  the  free  movement  of  elevated  trains.  The  con- 
gestion of  surface  cars  on  Tremont  street,  by  lack  of  adequate 
rapid  transit  facilities,  and  owing  to  the  uniformly  narrow 
and  tortuous  streets  of  the  city,  was  so  great  that  a  subway 
became  imperative. 

Elevated  trains  were  later  routed  through  this  subway, 
but  its  construction  was  such  that  this  service  had  to  be 
abandoned  and  a  new  subway  constructed  for  their  accommo- 
dation. I  am  reliably  informed  that  no  more  surface  car 
subways  will  be  constructed  in  Boston. 

TEMPORARY  SURFACE  CAR  SUBWAY  IN  HALSTED 

STREET. 

There  is  proposed  a  future  rapid  transit  subway  in  Hal- 
sted  street.  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the  traffic  conditions  in 
this  thoroughfare  at  present  are  exceptional,  and  require  a 
subway  from  about  Chicago  avenue  on  the  north  to  Twelfth 
street  on  the  south,  for  the  accommodation  of  surface  cars. 
This  would  greatly  relieve  traffic  congestion  in  this  street. 

14 


Such  a  subway,  with  stations,  but  exclusive  of  equipment,  is 
estimated  to  cost  $3,500,000.  If  constructed,  this  subway 
should  later  be  incorporated  in  the  proposed  future  rapid 
transit  subway  extending-  farther  north  and  south  in  the  same 
thoroughfare. 

EFFECT  OF  SUBWAYS  ON  TRAFFIC. 

The  estimated  effect  on  traffic  of  the  first  proposed  step  in 
subway  construction,  for  the  use  of  elevated  roads,  would  be 
an  increase  in  carrying  capacity  of  these  elevated  lines  from 
915  to  3,200  cars,  or  from  45,750  to  160,000  seats  per  hour,  an 
estimated  increase  of  250  per  cent,  as  already  shown. 

Such  a  substantial  increase,  with  added  speed  obtainable 
by  a  free  movement  of  trains  through  the  congested  district, 
and  other  improvements  in  the  elevated  road  system,  would 
considerably  relieve  the  traffic  on  surface  lines.  Fewer  sur- 
face cars  would  be  required  to  reach  the  downtown  district, 
thus  relieving  traffic  congestion  there. 

The  independent  system  of  subways  would  also  have 
a  capacity  of  160,000  seats  per  hour,  which,  of  course,  would 
be  in  addition  to  the  capacity  of  existing  traction  systems. 

It  has  been  said  that  such  an  independent  system  would 
serve  only  territory  immediately  adjacent,  if  there  were  no 
transfers  from  surface  cars  to  subways. 

The  average  haul  of  each  passenger  using  elevated  roads 
in  Chicago  is  estimated  at  4%  miles. 

The  estimated  average  haul  of  each  passenger  on  surface 
car  systems  is  from  3%  to  4  miles,  or  nearly  equal  to  that  of 
the  elevated  roads. 

Considering  the  present  long  trips  of  surface  cars  ana 
abnormally  great  dead  mileage,  also  that  the  average  haul 
per  passenger  as  well  as  dead  mileage  would  be  greatly  re- 
duced, with  subways  in  operation,  the  saving  in  operating 
expenses  on  the  surface  car  system  could  be  applied  to  the 
cost  of  subway  service,  thus  warranting  transfers  from  one 
system  to  the  other,  whether  under  one  ownership  or  not. 

EFFECT  OF  SUBWAYS  ON  REAL  ESTATE. 

The  effect  that  passenger  subways  may  have  on  real 
estate  is  perhaps  best  illustrated  by  New  York's  experience. 

The  City  Club  of  New  York,  after  a  thorough  investiga- 
tion of  the  increase  in  real  estate  values,  before  and  after 
the  building  of  subways,  reported  in  1908  that  in  the  borough 
of  Manhattan  "the  aggregate  rise  in  land  from  135th  street 

15 


■ .) 

to  Spuyten  Duyvil  was  about  $69,300,000.  If  an  estimated 
normal  rise  of  $20,100,000,  based  upon  the  rise  of  the  previous 
seven  years,  be  subtracted  from  this,  it  leaves  a  rise  of  about 
$49,200,000  apparently  due  to  the  building  of  subways." 

As  regards  the  effect  on  land  values  in  the  borough  of 
Bronx,  the  same  report  says:  "The  aggregate  increase  in 
land  values  (of  a  district  extending  about  a  half  mile  either 
side  of  the  subway)  due  to  the  building  of  the  subway  and  in 
excess  of  a  normal  rise  of  $13,500,000,  was  about  $31,300,- 
000." 

"The  property  benefited  in  the  districts  above  noted  could 
have  paid  the  entire  cost  of  subways  and  yet  have  had  a  net 
profit  due  solely  to  their  construction  and  operation  of  over 
$37,500,000.  Had  it  paid  only  for  the  portion  running  through 
its  own  territory,  there  would  have  remained  a  profit  of 
over  $67,425,000." 

EFFECT  OF  SUBWAYS  ON  BUSINESS  IN  OUTLYING 

DISTRICTS. 

There  is  some  opposition  to  subways  based  on  the  claim 
that  they  injure  business  conditions  in  outlying  districts. 
That  subways,  with  consequent  rapid  transit,  will  greatly 
stimulate  business  conditions  and  prospects  in  outlying  dis- 
tricts instead  of  injuring  them,  is  too  apparent  to  require 
much  comment. 

The  prosperous  business  districts  in  the  outlying  parts  of 
our  city  owe  their  development  principally  to  transportation 
facilities. 

The  remarkable  increase  in  surface  car  traffic  in  the 
borough  of  Bronx,  New  York,  amounting  to  138  per  cent 
in  five  years,  after  subway  service  had  been  extended  to  this 
section,  is  an  indication  of  the  effect  of  rapid  transit  on 
outlying  districts. 

SHORTSIGHTED  OPPOSITION. 

There  are  some  who  would  sacrifice  the  welfare  of  the  en- 
tire community  rather  than  see  any  action  taken  whereby 
some  section  of  the  city  would  profit  more  than  the  one  in 
which  they  live  and  own  property. 

I  believe  that  the  objectors  to  these  much-needed  trans- 
portation betterments  are  greatly  in  the  minority,  and  their 
attitude  should  be  changed.  If  not,  they  ahould  be  ignored 
by  all  citizens  who  have  our  city's  welfare  at, heart. 

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